Chain Reaction
by thethursdaygirl
Summary: One night Usagi tragically happened upon a golden broach with strange borrowed power. The notorious jewel thief Sailor Moon storms Tokyo, searching for a crystal for the prince in her dreams, only to end up awakening Tuxedo Kamen, the mysterious leader of the senshi. Will they be driven apart or will they both abandon their duties for something they can't understand?
1. Introduction

_Chain Reaction: a series of events in which each event is the result of the one preceding and the cause of the one following._

 _Introduction_

The silvery light of the moon illuminated through the window. The glass slowly inching its way open. Silently, a figure sweeps through the open space, the soft clack of heels touching down on the polished marble.

Nimble fingers sift through glass paned cases, looking, searching for something in particular. Doesn't know what exactly it will look like, but will definitely know it when she sees it. The call to her soul, the key.

A sigh, the familiar pang of disappointment rings through her heart. Another fruitless night, might as well find something to make this excursion a bit worthwhile.

Diamond earrings, those look nice. A ruby ring, she slides it on over gleaming satin gloves and holds it up to the light of the moon. The moonbeams hit it and send its depths sparkling like some inner fire. Silver high heeled boots lead her over to another case and the corners of her lips upturn. Pearls, lots of them. The crystalline blue eyes behind the wing-tipped mask widen when they see the long string of perfection. Immediately she picks it up, feeling the cool touch and solid weight of the beautiful white pearls. She loves pearls, always leaves the scene of the crime with a sample.

This one must cost a fortune though, it is long enough to be wrapped around multiple times. The image of herself in an impossibly beautiful evening gown with the necklace dripping hundreds of gleaming pearls paints itself in her head. Unrealistic yes, but the image sticks, and with a sly grin she wraps it around neck and walks regally across the room. Fingers trailing on the glass cases as the billowy, silver fabric of her back bow flutters just above the ground.

 _Ah, there it is, perfect._

A security camera points at the middle of the room, and she stands right in its path. Her right hand is placed over her heart and her left held out in a delicate flourish, then she gracefully bows. Silvery hair dancing through the air at the motion. A flick of her wrist later, a long stemmed rose is held in her hand. Silver petals appear to be glowing in the moonlight, she sets it on the grandest case in the store. Her trademark.

 _A show of gratitude, thanks for the jewels, even though you didn't carry the one I am looking for._

After dropping one last curtsy to the camera with a smirk, she dances back to the open window and disappears into the night.

There are only so many jewelry stores in Tokyo, she will find it for sure one of these nights.


	2. Act 1: Dream

_Chain Reaction: a series of events in which each event is the result of the one preceding and the cause of the one following._

xxx

 _Act 1: Dream_

 _xxx_

 _She could faintly pick up the intoxicating scent of the flowers, overflowing from their beds. The gardens were the most beautiful in existence, she was sure of it._

 _More intoxicating however, was his scent, silky and masculine. It flooded her senses with her face pressed into his shirt. His royal attire felt pleasant against her skin without the customary armor. But not nearly as nice, or comforting as the hands that rested upon her waist. Guiding her in the gentle sway they had settled into. The whole scene was too good to be true._

 _Because this wasn't real._

 _As if sensing the gloom slowly invading her mind he led her into a twirl, changing the dance altogether. A light giggle escaped her and she caught sight of a grin on his face._

 _White fabric swished between her legs as her bare feet followed and tried to mimic his pattern in the lush grass._

 _Then his hand released hers and found the small of her back, pulling her impossibly close._

 _Locked securely in his embrace all she could do was let out a contented sigh._

 _"_ _Don't do that to us," his whisper hung in the summer air. One arm wrapped her to him as the other trailed soothingly through her hair. But still she would not surrender the lingering doubts._

 _"_ _This is real, what you feel here," His chin rested lightly on her golden head._

 _"_ _We are real," he urged._

 _But as if her distress were a tangible thing, it made him pause. The hand trailing through golden tresses stilled and he let out a soft sigh._

 _Lips pressed to the crown of her head as she felt herself cascading into a gentle, dreamless sleep._

xxx

Usagi awoke groggily the next morning. _Great, the first day of school._

How she used to dream of being a high school student, now that dream held no mirth as she pulled the freshly starched uniform on for the first time.

After twisting honey gold hair into the familiar odango's she headed out of the door still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. It was still too early but she wanted to make it out before her guardian awoke. So she settled for wandering the streets until it was an appropriate time to head to the Azabu Juban public high school.

Classes finally started and she sat through them silently, trying to pay attention to the material rather than the looks of pity and curiosity her classmates were shooting her way when they thought she wasn't looking. When lunch time came she found her oldest friend standing in front of her desk. Naru's face was void of the pitying look everyone else gave her and she felt a wash of relief. They said nothing to each other, she only received a nod full of meaning, Usagi nodded back and followed her friend to a bench outside.

The sunshine was so bright that she found herself squinting her eyes to look at the bright blue sky. Wordlessly Naru handed her a half of her sandwich, with a grateful nod of her head Usagi took it. They spent their lunch in comfortable silence. There was nothing to be said right now, nothing yet.

After the bell for her last class rung she found herself walking toward the Crown arcade. It might be nice to go somewhere so familiar. Usagi sat down at the counter and Motoki gave her a warm smile, she attempted one back.

"Chocolate milkshake Usa?" She didn't really feel like having one at the moment, but at the same time didn't want to appear rude, or unappreciative. Usagi nodded and he turned to get to work. It was kind of nice in a way to go back to old routine, after spending the summer so differently.

A minute later a thick, frothy, chocolate shake was plopped down in front of her, and she smiled gratefully at the maker. Usagi bent her head down to to take a sip, pulling the drink through the straw, but the resulting taste was bitter. She didn't want the shake, she didn't want this life. Nothing was the same as before. She fingered the large diamond studs adorning her ears from last night's escapade, and it brought a slight smile to her face, _if only she could find what she was looking for._ The diamonds were large and surrounded by smaller ones, though they were real and undoubtedly cost a small fortune, she could pass them off as fake to everyone else's eyes. _What would a girl like her be doing with diamonds like these?_

The chime of the door opening rung through the noise of the arcade and Usagi paid it no heed, eyes looking off into the distance.

When Chiba Mamoru walked in to the Crown arcade today, he had most definitely not expected to see her, _Tsukino Usagi._

 _"_ _Odango,_ what a sight for sore eyes," he said smoothly before sitting on a stool at the counter.

She didn't even bother looking away from whatever she was staring so intently at.

 _"_ _Chiba."_ It was all the acknowledgement she gave, and for some reason it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"That's no way to welcome me after being absent for nearly two months, _where did you go anyways?"_ He asked teasingly.

 _As if you care._ Usagi scoffed audibly and her face scrunched up. _No, no more crying._

 _"_ _Nowhere."_

 _How come she was giving him the silent treatment all of a sudden?_ He just wanted some healthy sparring between the two of them.

As he watched her face in profile, the large sparkling jewels at her ear caught his attention. What were those, _diamonds? They looked real!_ And he would know, he was somewhat of an expert on rocks. They had always fascinated him. Which is why he was confused, how could his knowledge be failing him now? There was _no way_ anyone with a middle class income such as her family could afford such jewels.

 _"_ _Nice earrings Odango,_ were they a present from your parents, or did you get them from a coin operated machine?" There, that would get her both riled up, and some information on those impossibly real looking stones.

Usagi visibly flinched at his comment, but then a tight smile twisted her features.

"On the contrary Chiba, _would you believe they were a gift to myself?"_ Her sapphire blue eyes finally clashed with his at the end of her statement. And he almost choked at the sight of it. _She looked… different?_

"Toki, when are you getting off work today?" She politely asked the blonde worker behind the counter.

"Not till later Usa, you head on without me if you want to," Mamoru's best friend told the girl next to him. _Usa? When did he start calling her that?_

 _"_ _K, see you tonight then,"_ He watched as Usagi stood up and waved goodbye to his friend.

 _What the hell is going on here?_

"You're meeting up with the Odango tonight?" Mamoru asked amusedly, watching for _Toki's_ reaction intently as he set a steaming cup of coffee in front of him.

Motoki just looked at his friend funnily and nodded his head.

 _"_ _What,_ for like a _date_ or something?" _This was getting ridiculous._

"Not exactly, we are just going back to _my place,"_ the blond wagged his brows at his friend.

 _WHAT? Mamoru nearly spit out his coffee._

 _"_ _Are you serious Motoki? Usagi is like 13 years old!"_ But his friend just laughed at the outburst and shook his head.

 _"_ _Mamoru,_ Usagi is only three years younger than you, she's a freshman in high school this year," He told the flustered man while grabbing Usagi's abandoned milk shake and taking a sip from the straw. Mamoru flinched.

"But you're in your second year of _college,"_ Mamoru tried to reason.

"And you are a senior in high school," Motoki added nonchalantly.

"What does that have to do with it?"

"I thought we were stating facts," the blonde shrugged.

"Motoki, you have to stop seeing Usagi, _it's not right,"_ Mamoru insisted, shaking his head unknowingly.

"Am I detecting hints of, _jealousy?"_ His friend beamed with a large grin on his face.

 _"_ _No,"_ he responded immediately.

Motoki raised his eyebrows at his friend, finishing the last of Usagi's chocolate shake before setting it down.

"Well fortunately for you, I am _not_ dating Usagi,"

"So you're heading to _your place_ later and you're not even _dating her?"_ Mamoru asked horrified. He never knew Usagi to be so… _scandalous._

"Mamoru _,_ she's living at my place,"

Silence.

"Why?"

"I shouldn't say," Motoki pursed his lips and looked away, his playful mood gone, "It's not my information to share."

The raven haired man shot his friend a quizzical look, then thought of another question.

"Does this have anything to do with Usagi being gone basically the whole summer?"

Motoki just nodded, wiping at a nonexistent smudge on the counter with a rag.

 _What has happened these past two months?_

xxx

Later that night Usagi sat idly on her bed. She had brought over her bedding from her old house, which was a small comfort. The memory almost made her flinch. _Almost,_ _this was progress._

Other than that, the room was pretty much bare as decorations went. Motoki had painted the spare room a soft, barely-there, shade of pink for her as a surprise. _It was nice._

The room wasn't dreadfully small, but it wasn't as big as her room at her old house. She had a bed, a desk, and a quaint dresser, it was enough.

But that wasn't why she didn't want anyone in her room, even Motoki seemed a little concerned over her 'No entrance' rule. Perhaps it was a little suspicious sounding, but how else would she hide her secret. _Her souvenirs._

 _Jewels of all sorts of varieties were strewn around the room. Rings laid lazily about her desk, necklaces hung from hooks on the walls, pearls strung in the windowsill._

 _These were just a little entertainment though, reminders of how far she had come, and how much closer she had to be getting._

To the one, the one jewel in particular that was worth all of her collection a billion times over.

 _Yes, Sailor Moon may be a jewel thief, but she was one with a purpose dammit._

When she heard the door to Motoki's bedroom whisper closed, she stood up and basked in the moonlight streaming in through her window, grabbing the brooch on the dresser.

 _"Moon prism power, make-up,"_ she whispered into the room. The moonlight seemed to dance around her before converging into a brighter light. Then it faded, and she was left in her disguise.

 _Call her silly but tonight she had a strange feeling, something big was about to happen._

 _Maybe tonight she would find the Legendary Silver Crystal._

xxx

Meanwhile Chiba Mamoru sat on his couch hunched over a textbook. The lamp on the side table offering some light to his late night studying. However useless it might be, since he seemed to only be reading the same passage over and over again. He just couldn't focus.

The mystery of one childish blonde, Tsukino Usagi, was unfortunately on his mind.

 _He kind of missed his sparring partner in her absence,_ as if he would ever admit it though.

The odangoed one was nothing but a little stress relief, an overall nuisance, he insisted.

But for some reason the mystery behind her disappearance and recent living arrangements would not let him be.

And she seemed so… different, not very Usagi-like at all. _Had something happened to her?_

 _Why does it even matter though? Why does that dumb blonde stir these odd feeling anyways? How dare she stir feelings where she has no right to stir them. Feelings aren't necessary, and I could live a thousand lifetimes without them, so then why am I still wasting my time thinking about this?_

He brushed off the confusing train of thought with a scoff, he needed to get some chem studying done, not pondering the enigma that was the Odango.

The textbook landed on the carpet with a hearty thud. Mamoru felt a strange twinge in his chest. A sense of foreboding tingled his spine and he doubled over.

 _You are needed. Go._

 _An odd feeling, and then his clothes felt different, heavier?_ He admired his hand, which was now covered in a white glove, _dear god was he dreaming or something?_ Maybe he needed to lay off on the coffee for a while.

Standing up in his alarm he took a look down, _am I seriously wearing a tuxedo?_ But he was out of time to check out his new attire, a tug pulled him toward his balcony. And as if he had done it a million times, he jumped out and onto a nearby rooftop. Following the pull to a local jewelry shop.

 _What is going on?_

Then he heard the racket from within and rushed to the door without a second thought.

Women were scattered all along the black marble floor, seemingly unconscious. He bent down to check one woman's pulse and thankfully it beat strongly against her wrist.

"Why aren't you affected?" A ghastly voice called out in the darkness.

Mamoru looked up, and saw something from some kind of nightmare, it was hideous and clearly not human.

"What have you done to them?" he ground out, looking at all of the innocent people strewn around.

"I have stolen their energy to offer to up to my queen," The voice stated proudly.

Sailor Moon stood perched on the architectural ledge leading from the high window. Watching this strange scene unravel in the dark. Not sure if her terror of being caught in a youma attack was dying down or not with the new arrival.

Mamoru in disguise stood up and rammed into the strange creature, sending it barreling towards the ground with his brute strength.

"Who do you think you are mortal?" The gravely voice came.

And he stood back, wondering exactly what he was supposed to say, the feeling of the domino mask covering his identity was weighing heavily on him now.

Then it clicked.

"I am Tuxedo Kamen, _defender of this planet and guardian of justice,"_ he boasted.

 _Clever._

 _"Tuxedo Kamen huh? Well prepare to surrender your life to our queen, I'm sure your energy is quite exquisite."_

An unseen force knocked him down to the ground, and he _felt_ panic, _but was he even panicking?_

 _She was panicking._ Sailor Moon was about to watch some innocent man get drained of his energy, _could she do something, would she do something if she could? She was just a jewel thief, looking for the crystal that would change her life. But could she let this man, this 'Tuxedo Kamen' be hurt?_

 _He was pretty handsome…_ she felt a tug at her heart, and her tiara glowed brightly. Suddenly disappearing only to reappear levitating above her outstretched palm. She knew what she had to do.

 _"Moon tiara magic,"_ her whisper floated through the dim room, a flash of light overtaking the darkness as it shot through the air.

Tuxedo Kamen watched in awe as the thing before him crumbled into nothing more than dust. He stood to his feet to face where the voice had come from, only to be met with the most mesmerizing sight he could have ever imagined.

Up on a tall ledge stood a figure dressed in shimmery silver fabric, like some sort of avenging angel.

 _My angel._

 _The moonbeams seemed drawn to her like a magnet, playing around her figure and drenching her in their majestic light. A white bodysuit outfitted with a short, sparkling skirt, that gleamed in the borrowed light. Matching high heeled boots that showed off her sculpted legs. She wore white gloves as well, but hers extended above her elbow. Gauzy, silvery fabric was fashioned into large bows on her chest and at her back, floating ethereally, in a similar fashion to her long hair._

 _"Are you an angel?"_

His question made her eyebrows shoot up behind that somewhat similar, white mask and he grinned as she shook her head.

"Not exactly," her whisper drifted to him.

"Then who are you?"

"I go by the name, _Sailor Moon,"_ She made a flourish with her hand and a rose appeared within it's grasp. She was puzzled, why had she produced a red rose? She had only been able to create silver ones before.

"For your bravery tonight Tuxedo Kamen," the rose left her hand and came floating down into his, "I didn't find what I am searching for tonight, but I certainly did find something interesting," she remarked before dropping into a curtsy.

 _"Farewell,"_ it came before she slipped though a nearby window and out into the night.

Mamoru behind his own mask was spellbound, _Sailor Moon. She was breathtaking._

From his spot he was practically cemented to, he didn't notice the incoming intruders.

"You defeated the youma by yourself?" A disbelieving voice called out and he snapped his head around at the sound.

Two girls in plainly similar outfits to the one he had previously seen stood next to an odd black cat. He was in for a long night.

 _xxx_

 _What happened back there?_ Sailor Moon ran as fast as she could away from a night gone horribly wrong. She was just supposed to look for the crystal, steal some accessories and laugh at her own cleverness. Never was she expecting to run into some supernatural phenomenon, not to mention be a part of it as well.

Usagi shook like a leaf under all her glamour, the disguise felt somewhat comforting though, she wouldn't ever be recognized as herself, it was like a shield protecting her from the world.

She felt weak, drained, whatever she had done back there was certainly taking it's toll now. Sailor Moon just needed to sit for awhile, she could feel the cold brick wall against her back through her fuku.

Head held in hands, she replayed scenes from the night over and over again, but it still didn't make sense. _What business did she have warding off evil beings? It would be better to leave it to the professionals. Like who, Tuxedo Kamen? She hoped he wasn't 'the professionals,' if so, they were all in danger._

 _No!_ Usagi just wanted her old life back. _Sorry, I couldn't find it, I would never be good enough for you anyways, it was silly to think getting a crystal would change that._

She had to get up, laying down in the grimy alleyway was seeming better by the minute and she would like to hope she hadn't gotten that low. To sleep in an alleyway, next to rusty trashcans.

xxx

Motoki walked groggily to the front door to his apartment, _who in their right mind would be knocking at three in the morning?_

What he was not expecting however, was the silver haired girl to come toppling in from the door way to land sprawled out on the floor mat. The previously flawless, sparkling fabric was smudged and torn in places.

 _"Usagi-chan!"_ But she did not rouse, she was out cold. Motoki carried her to her room despite knowing she wouldn't want him to see it. But he already knew her secret. After wrapping the blankets around her and removing her brooch, which broke her transformation, he watched her motionless form and sighed. A lot had happened to her, but she couldn't keep doing this.

 _This needs to stop, no more Sailor Moon._

 _xxx_

 _The sky was as black as death itself, the sheets of rain falling without mercy. The car crept on despite the brewing storm and she shivered in her seat. A crack of lightning flashed through the sky and her scream caught in her throat. Just a drive, they were almost home, but she had a growing sense of doom weighing on her shoulders. Their faces were steely, her parents in the front seats. Her brother fast asleep in the seat by the other window. Usagi envied his ability to sleep through this hell._

 _They were mad about something, and she responded the same. Her grades, it wasn't like she tried to be stupid or something. Why didn't they understand? Why couldn't they understand her?_

 _The silence was shattered by her mothers heart wrenching shriek. She didn't even have time to comprehend the fact that the car was heading off of the road, and into the water._

 _Broken glass, the inky darkness of the water, the water that enveloped everything._

 _She was going to die, her whole family was going to die._

 _Her hope fleeting as she felt the comforting embrace of unconsciousness, strangely Usagi had the oddest feeling that she was forgetting something, something very important._

 _She didn't even feel the stinging pain as she surrendered to the darkness._

 _No!_

 _Her eyes opened next to find herself on solid ground. Now she remembered what had happened. Pale hands clawed at the tufts of damp grass beneath her fingertips. Why? How could she have possibly made it out of that alive. It just wasn't possible. And then the realization that she was the only one to make it out alive, branches clinging to her like grisly fingers. Usagi's family was laying at the bottom of the lake before her. The heavy darkness was suffocating, swirling around her mind that was quickly surrendering to the madness in the moment. Screams tore from her lips in agony as the rain stung her everywhere._

 _Lightning cracked in the distance as if mocking her._

 _Why did she always have to live through this memory when she slept? It was bad enough to live through it once._

 _"Why?" she sobbed, tears mingling with the icy drops._

 _Then it all seemed to fade into the background, as she felt a warmness spreading through her veins. The chill in her blood melting into a familiar comfort._

 _Gone was the unrelenting storm and the darkness, now replaced with sunny skies and plush green grass. Usagi greedily breathed in his scent, mixed with the aroma of the fragrant flowers around them._

 _They laid on the grass together, his warmth seeping into her from beneath. Usagi's face flushed pink, she was sprawled out on top of him, folds of familiar white fabric covering both of them. His large arms encompassing her small form. For awhile she just basked in the feeling, before a tinge of guilt nudged into her mind._

 _"I can't anymore," she told him with a resigned sigh, and tried to pull away from him._

 _"Don't say that," his voice came out a bit gruff, before he took a breath and tried again._

 _"Why?"_

 _"It's hopeless, I give up," Usagi told him, thinking back to her countless failed missions to try to uncover the Silver Crystal._

 _"You can't," he pleaded, you can't give up on us. Don't forsake this second chance I have given you, please god no. How he wanted to tell her everything. He just watched as Usagi shook her head, oblivious to his internal struggle._

 _"But I still need you, I always will," his breathy whisper in her ear made her cerulean eyes widen adorably. With a soft smile that she couldn't see, he trailed his fingers through her hair and over her back in a soothing motion._

 _Slowly her head rested upon his chest again, but he still felt her body stung highly tense, like she could snap and flee at any moment._

 _"Just let me hold you, love," His soft voice made warmth blossom in her chest. He felt as she shifted in her dress above and relaxed into him. Arms tightened around her reassuringly as Usagi's eyelids fluttered closed. Shortly afterwards he felt her steady breathing and heard her soft snores. Careful fingers came to her forehead, and brushed away golden wisps of bangs from the tell-tale mark on her brow._

 _She was still very much his princess, it didn't matter that her name had changed, or that she was not recognized as royalty in this lifetime. She was still most definitely his other half. He had felt himself awakened to save her from a terrible accident, and had lent her some power to defend herself with, to keep her safe until he could find her again. For now he would visit her in the realms of her dreams, his connection to Elysion and the protector of dreams still strong._

 _Now if only his current reincarnation could come into his memories so their consciousnesses could be merged. Then they could finally be together again, after a thousand year wait. It couldn't come any sooner, his princess needed him, and in more than just her dreams. But for now it would have to do._

 _"No more nightmares tonight, sleep well Serenity."_

 _xxx_

"So can you tell me again why you're still here?" Mamoru discreetly asked the black feline perched on his shoulder while he walked to school the next morning. The thing was like a parasite, it was creepy enough to have to bear witness to a talking cat. And then the thing intended on following him around everywhere? The cat raised an eyebrow at him in a very human-like expression. _Did cats even have eyebrows?_

"I'm keeping an eye on you, Chiba Mamoru," She said quietly while licking her paw.

"But why?" He asked, exasperated.

"I have a feeling about you, and I sense great power from within you," Luna answered confidently.

"You could be the one we are searching for," he heard, reminding him of when the cat said something along the same lines last night, Mamoru sighed in resignation at the memory.

 _"You defeated the youma by yourself?" The disbelieving voice of the senshi who would reveal herself to be Sailor Mars asked him._

 _Meanwhile Sailor Mercury stood closely to her, typing into some compact computer._

 _"That is most definitely the remains of a youma," the blue haired woman said quizzically, looking down at the poised black cat in a silent question._

 _"You," the cat addressed him, walked assuredly towards him, "You have great power within you, surely you are aware of that now?"_

 _"What?" Did that cat seriously just speak to him?_

 _The girl in the red fuku looked at him strangely, before her eyes widened._

 _"I do sense something within him, even if it hasn't awoken yet," The physic of the group remarked._

 _"Who are you?" Luna had asked him carefully._

 _"Tuxedo Kamen" he said simply, not wanting to give them the full extent of his identity yet, which he would later find to be hopeless._

 _"You might just be the one we are searching for."_

Mamoru barely even noticed it went he made it to the grand entrance of Moto Azabu private high school. Sleep had alluded him last night, leaving him feeling like he was walking through a hazy fog. Some coffee would be good, maybe he would get some later.

"You can't go inside with me," he said firmly, earning a few odd looks from people around him.

"Fine, I will wait for you outside," she said casually, before leaping off of his shoulder and stalking to the gate. He groaned at her display but rejoiced in his freedom as he walked to his first class.

His usually alert mind was trailing in different directions from the lecture in his biology class. Mamoru sat in his chair silently tapping his chin with his pen, wearing a look of deep concentration. _What even happened last night?_ Whatever is was, it had flipped his world upside down.

Talking cats, senshi, and _her. Mystery personified._

 _Sailor Moon._

And then there was still the questions surrounding the odangoed one, Tsukino Usagi. Even when she wasn't physically in his presence she could still annoy him, he scoffed. Mamoru had work to do, and frankly her life was none of his concern.

He barely even noticed when the class had ended, if it wasn't for the noise of the gathering herd of students, who knows how long he would have stayed zoned out. Whatever it was that they were pouring over, it certainly had their attention, boys and girls alike. Mamoru rejoiced in the fact that no blabbering girls would be approaching him to walk to the next class. But as he was trying to silently slip away, a few choice words from the crowd slipped out and caught his attention.

 _"Sailor Moon, no way?_ So is she with the other senshi now?" Some bewildered brunette tried snatching something from another guys grasp.

 _"Are you kidding, the phantom jewel thief, a senshi?"_ Another guy gave a smug grin, "Although have you seen those legs? I would let her break into my room any night."

"Shut up Asanuma, and just give me the article," another girl bopped him on the head and successfully ripped the paper from his grasp.

 _Interesting._ Mamoru needed to learn all he could about the mysterious girl from last night, apparently not keeping up with the news had proved to be a mistake. _Was she already this famous, not to mention, a jewel thief? Although, it was a jewelry shop they had met at last night._

He was going to learn everything he could about the one who called herself Sailor Moon.

 _xxx_

When classes had ended for the day he dragged himself to the familiar sanctuary that was the Crown arcade. To his joy, Luna was nowhere to be seen. Motoki took one look at his dark haired friend and set a steaming mug of coffee wordlessly in front of him.

"Thanks,"

"Don't mention it, especially since you'll be paying the bill," Motoki said with a grin, and Mamoru rolled his eyes at him.

He watched as his sandy haired friend's easygoing face took on a more grim look and followed his gaze to the doorway.

"Usagi-chan what are you doing here?" Her guardian asked her as she stumbled over to the counter to sit down.

"Couldn't find the headache medicine Toki," A pale, dainty hand was clamped over the bridge of her nose, desperately trying to massage away the pain.

"You're supposed to be in bed," Motoki's voice took on an authoritative air. As Mamoru inspected his sparring partner he realized that she indeed was not in her school uniform. But was instead dressed in a pale blue skirt and a black knit sweater-that she was shivering immensely in. Was he seriously checking her out? _Most certainly not._ A glint of light brought his attention back to her hand, on which a rather large ring was situated.

Where was she getting this stuff from? The blue stone looked exactly like a real sapphire would. Surrounded by smaller diamonds, and set in white gold, this ring would be _incredibly pricy._

"I couldn't sleep," she groaned, letting her hand fall to the countertop in front of her. Mamoru watched as she gave the ring a thoughtful look, and then as her eyes lost focus.

 _Just like his eyes, so incredibly blue,_ Usagi was caught up in the memory of the prince from her dreams. Then she scowled again, finding the Silver Crystal was turning out to be an impossible feat. She had to tell him soon that she was done, but he was just so darned convincing when he wanted to be.

"Where did you get that hunk of rock from Odango?"

"Lay off will you? I'm not up to it today," She told him exasperatedly while she tucked some blonde strands behind her ears. _Matching earrings, where the hell is she getting the money for this jewelry?_

"That doesn't answer my question," dark blue eyes narrowed in on the girl.

"Why are you so concerned about my jewelry as of late anyways, _jealous?"_ She met him with a smug grin, _whats wrong with Mamoru-baka these days?_

"Just wondering where you happen to find such expensive looking _knockoffs,"_ He said nonchalantly, bringing his mug up to his lips. Mamoru tried to gauge her reaction to his statement, if anything, the way her eyebrows shot up momentarily, she seemed amused by his observation. A single blonde eyebrow arched up at him as she gave her reply.

"I just consider it compensation," _Compensation?_

"Compensation for what exactly?"

Usagi shrugged her shoulders, and turned her attention towards the warm mug placed in front of her, closing her eyes and inhaling the delicious scent. _Mmm, hot chocolate._ She looked up at Motoki with gratitude, but found he was already giving her a stern look. Or at least the best he could attempt at one. _Ah,_ this conversation with Mamoru-baka was getting too… _revealing._

 _"A job well done,"_ She stated, heavy with finality. _This convention is over,_ her tone told him. Never turning away from her hot chocolate she began to sip at the sweet goodness.

Mamoru found the extremely vague answer very troubling for some reason. _A payment for a job well done? That sounded bad, very bad._ The odango was such a mystery as of late, what kind of stuff had she gotten herself into in the last few months?

That answer coupled with the look Motoki was giving her. Usagi's drastic change in personality, her usual light seemed clouded over. Like she had seen for herself all the darkness life had to offer. Was she… _was she,_ _selling herself?_ The black coffee caught in his throat, making him choke. At Motoki's curious look he tried clearing his throat. _Was that what Usagi was doing, selling her body? For these jewels?_ Mamoru felt his blood boil in his veins at the thought. _Someone young and innocent like Usagi would be so easy to lure in._ Where else could she be getting the money, where were her parents? Why weren't they doing something about her suspicious behavior?

One look at Mamoru's brooding face and Usagi's oblivious one told him it was time to end this conversation, before it blew up, in the way only these two could with each other. Motoki sighed, finished drying one last glass before setting it down.

"Usagi-chan, I'll walk you back once you're done with that," In response she set down her mug, just after draining it of its contents.

"I can make it home by myself Toki, you don't have to leave work," Usagi said, clumsily getting down from the stool.

He shook his head at her with a smile on his face.

"I don't want you falling asleep on the streets while you're not feeling well Usa," Motoki came around and placed his jacket over her shivering shoulders.

"I resent that," her nose raised to the air at his comment, which triggered some chuckles from him.

He put his hand on her back and lead her to the door, throwing one last, curious look at the still brooding Mamoru.

"Come on, lets go before you start snoring," Mamoru watched as his friend, who now was also Usagi's guardian, teased her lightheartedly. The sound of her sleepy giggles seemed to resonate through him. _Figures they would get together, they are so much alike,_ he rolled his eyes at the two.

 _'Usa and Toki,' how wonderful, they could have a dozen little, chubby blonde-haired cherubs with stunning blue and green eyes for all he cared._

Because it was just Odango, and the girl he really wanted was equally as unobtainable anyways, _Sailor Moon._

xxx

A few days later and Motoki still wanted her in bed recovering from an unknown illness. Usagi also had a curfew now, and her broach was being held hostage by a certain arcade worker.

Which meant she was reduced to pacing circles around her cream carpeted floor. Not resuming her search for the mysterious stone had left her antsy, and she knew better than to stop for more than a few days. _That's when the weird dreams came._

The fact that Motoki knew her secret alter ego was unsettling as well. The Furuhata's had been friends of her parents for longer than she had knowledge of, which had meant that they had always been pretty close. But finding out that your 15 year old, school girl roommate was a notorious jewel thief still had to be a little shocking.

A pale hand shot out to her desk, grabbing at a ring and fumbling at it in her palm. Hastily she slid it on a finger and held it up to the intruding moonlight. A large princess-cut diamond glittered back at her from its rose gold band. Before the accident, _a sentiment that she used to describe her now, past self,_ Usagi wouldn't have considered herself materialistic. Even now she wasn't quite sure it was an accurate description, her wallet wasn't emptied on the latest fashions and brands. But her jewelry, it was almost comforting, maybe if she were to be brutally honest, she would admit that this kind of behavior was unhealthy.

Sweeping her eyes over the room Usagi felt a small pang of guilt within her chest, she was stealing, and that wasn't something her dream prince asked her to do.

But hours spent searching felt so wasted, left her feeling so utterly empty when she came away empty handed. And empty was a feeling she had learned well, one that she would not tolerate. Or rather, could not handle.

What happened to sweet, little Tsukino Usagi? She had to wonder if she was buried somewhere deep down, just waiting to emerge.

 _She sure hoped so._

A small hand clutched at her chest when she felt a minuscule twinge there. The first slight tug at a hibernating thread, and then she felt her limbs burst into action.

Motoki be damned, she needed her broach back, _now._

The sacred gift from her prince, her hands were practically itching to hold the solid metal. When her roommate saw her heading toward his room with a determined glint in her eyes, he jumped off the couch and ran after her. With inhuman speed Usagi slammed the door and clicked the lock in place. Paying no heed to his pleads and knocks on the other side of the door as she felt the pull to the powerful object.

A dresser similar to hers stood against the wall, her fingers trailed three drawers down as if pulled by an invisible string. Triumphantly she slid it open before rolling her eyes at the man behind the door.

 _Really Motoki, your underwear drawer?_

The broach seemed to gleam playfully at her as she held it in her palm. Solid gold metal with a simple design in the center, a silver circle with a golden moon cradled within. She held onto it like it was dear life, the only proof she had that her mysterious prince did indeed exist. It seemed to hum with power in her grasp, letting her eyes slip closed Usagi embraced it full on with a whispered phrase.

Seconds later she was out the window in a flurry of silver, letting the slight tug guide the way.

 _Sorry Motoki,_ she wished he wouldn't be too mad by the time she returned.

 _xxx_

Tuxedo Kamen arrived on the scene to find the two senshi already amidst the battle. Why did he even bother showing up again? He was as useless as hero's came, whether or not the senshi and their cat believed it.

Yet, the possibility of running into Sailor Moon was too tempting to ignore, more so than the incessant beeping from the communicator Luna forced upon him.

So that was why he was standing in a park next to a strange cat, while wearing a tuxedo at such a late hour of the night. The stars were twinkling above, observing the fight below just as he was.

"Why do you want me here when I can't do anything?" Tuxedo Kamen asked Luna, annoyance tinging his deep voice.

The authority buried is his question, _the voice,_ it made her fur prickle, _there was something about this man. She just hadn't figured it out yet._

"Because when you do obtain your power, you will need to know how to fight as well," she answered him in a low voice.

"What makes you so sure that I will even get this, _mysterious power?"_ Mamoru shot back, this was all so confusing, where did he fit in with the senshi and their battles?

 _"You will,"_ Luna growled back at him.

He chose to ignore her short, nondescript answer, and all of the curious questions it brought on. Instead focusing on the battle occurring not too far off. The cover of the trees offered a good vantage point.

An explosion of fire cleared from Mars' attack bringing the youma into view. It was a relentless thing, and rather on the large side as well. That would be if it held the same shape long enough to determine the size, or rather the volume, since it seemed to be more or less made of liquid.

Mercury hobbled over, visor flashing before her unfamiliar symbols that he could not decipher, her face took on a grim look as she appeared to read them with ease.

"The liquid structure of it means my attacks are meaningless, and Mars' aren't seeming to touch it either," she spoke firmly to Luna, awaiting advice.

Tuxedo Kamen looked down at the cat through his mask to find her looking somewhat expectantly up at him.

"What would I know about this?" He told them both exasperatedly. Luna just shook her head and looked back to the ongoing battle, a blast of frigid water left Mars sprawled on the tattered grass.

"Mars!" Mercury's boots shuffled across the ground as she ran in the direction of her fallen comrade. Tuxedo Kamen saw the youma direct its attention to its new victim.

"Take her and run," he commanded to the blue senshi, who just started at him momentarily before nodding. With senshi strength she picked up her teammate to run and find shelter and check her condition.

Meanwhile, he stood in the open, the youma evaluating him quickly. _What did I just do?_ He had no powers and he just tossed himself into the battle. For good reason that is, to provide the senshi with a getaway, but what about himself? Overpowering this youma with brute strength as a distraction was not an option like last time.

With a defiant scowl he stood his ground, not questioning his newfound bravery.

When the attacks came he dodged them the best to his ability, a blast of water shot inches from his face, and he stumbled back. Not registering the next aimed directly in his position before it was too late.

But instead of the frigid, immobilizing impact of the blast, a soft force sent him tumbling to the ground. After rolling on the grass a few times he found himself pinned underneath a warm presence. The moment seemed to last an eternity when he met the wide cerulean eyes of his savior. Her look of shock and confusion mimicking his own if not exceeding it. The blue depths were infinitely captivating even behind her wing tipped mask.

"Sailor Moon," it came out as a breathy whisper, and she immediately jumped off of him.

Something about the moment seemed painfully familiar, and yet terrifyingly different to her.

The loss of her warmth seemed to snap him back into the problem at hand. She had saved him yes, but now she was also in danger.

The knowledge seemingly making his thoughts sharper.

Beady black eyes focused in on the silvery girl, its appearance taking on a more human shape.

 _"Her,"_ the first inhuman-sounding garbled speech came from the youma.

Sailor Moon stood abruptly on unsure legs, this was not good. It moved at her, instead of directly attacking, and she leapt from the illusive grasp.

Plans were forming hastily in his head, suddenly he grabbed her up by the waist despite her squeaks of alarm and ran off into a different direction.

"Mercury," he called out, the sway of the trees gave no answer in the area around him. Then she poked out of a bush and ran over to them.

"I need you to freeze the youma," he said sternly, not waiting for her answer. She stumbled over her next words in confusion, eyes falling questioningly between him and the struggling form in his arms.

"I don't think I can," the water senshi supplied. _Since when had she had the ability to do that?_

"Just try," he ordered, the youma approaching, leaving behind a dark puddle in its wake.

She nodded once again at the order and concentrated on the task at hand. Sailor Mercury focused herself inwards, reaching within herself to try to find the solution. This was a problem, and she knew better than anyone the satisfaction of solving problems, there was always a solution. She could produce fog, which was condensation, which could be made by heating water to the point of evaporation. Surely she could temper and control the form of the water she manipulated? Then Ami felt it, the wisps of something calling out to her, her soul wept in joy. Wholeheartedly she reached for it.

"Shine snow illusion," her voice raised with the intensity she felt within as the energy swept through and thundered from her. Sure enough, when the swirls of energy made contact, the youma became nothing more than a crystalline sculpture. For a minute the three just stared at the ghastly, frozen form in awe.

"You can let go now," Sailor Moon said, mildly irritated at his treatment within his grasp.

This _'Tuxedo Kamen'_ was hardly romantic at all, she just saved his life and now he was holding her like a sack of potatoes. He chuckled at her plight but did lower her to the ground, letting her stumble back.

A flash of black shot through the night air, before she spied a black cat on his shoulder.

"Well done Tuxedo Kamen," the feminine voice said cooly, before ruby eyes narrowed in her direction.

"Sailor Moon," the feline sneered, making her feel uneasy. Usagi had no business with the sailor senshi, they were not connected whatsoever.

She almost laughed out loud, _the warriors of Tokyo and a mysterious jewel thief._

The corners of her lips downturned when she looked back at the handsome man with them, _so he was one of them?_

Mamoru behind his own mask watched as she seemed to reevaluate him and his alliances carefully with a frown. Her posture straightened, in the moment she seemed as cold and unreachable as the moon in the sky, it sent a painful chill down his spine.

"We have no business with the likes of you," Luna said coldly to the silvery figure before him.

"As I with you," she replied with equal amounts of frigidness, out of nowhere a silver rose bloomed between her twirling fingers, the thorns on the long graceful stem not daring to inflict harm upon her skin through the white of her gloves.

"Farewell," she bid them customarily, but instead of leaving the rose for him, or dropping it to the ground. Sailor Moon shot it from her hands directly at the forgotten statuesque youma. The stem burying itself inside, making the whole thing shatter on impact.

If they wanted to bring the drama to her she would give them a show, she grinned at the ice crystals spread around the grass and dropped into a mocking curtsy. With inhuman speed Sailor Moon ran into the darkness and away from their little confrontation. _Stupid, snooty cat._

Leaving Tuxedo Kamen to watch dejectedly as her illusive figure fled the scene.

The others walked off to tend to Mars and bring her back to the temple. But he couldn't help but be pulled to the center of the icy ruins, where a perfect white rose lay.

Carefully he retrieved it from the shattered pieces amongst it. That made two roses he had received from Sailor Moon.

Holding it up to the light of the moon, the petals glowed silver at him, like the color of her impossibly long hair.

xxx

Usagi jumped off a ledge, and swung into the still open window. The forrest green curtains fluttering around her from the invading wind that was picking up.

With a mental command her disguise faded away, leaving her in the clothes she wore earlier. A smug grin still painted across her lips at the way she departed from the battle.

It only faltered when she remembered the man on the other side of the door-which as she tested-was still locked. With a deep breath she twisted the handle, the loud popping noise signaling her arrival. With pursed lips she looked over to the large couch where Motoki had fallen asleep. And she felt bad. What a terrible roommate she made. He had let her live with him in his apartment in Azabu Juban knowing that it would help bring some normality back into her messed up life.

He didn't even stir as she pushed a better pillow under his head, or when the fluffy quilt settled over him. Taking one more look she headed to her room and snuggled into her own bed. But falling asleep seemed impossible with all of the thoughts swirling around her head relentlessly.

Had the odd urge to transform come from the battle at hand? The sailor senshi had been fighting evil in Tokyo for months now though, without her help. She had helped them, but her instinct wasn't to fight the youma, almost mindlessly she threw herself at Tuxedo Kamen. Saving him from injury.

And he was a part of the senshi team too? It was all so confusing.

His hands on her waist, the breathy whisper he addressed her by after she had tackled him to the ground, it sent sinful tingles down her spine. But it was wrong, the only person who could make her feel that way was her prince, and he was the one who gave her the mysterious powers in the first place. That was when she realized that she had transformed, and hadn't even searched for the crystal. Guilt flooded her mind as her thoughts blurred to the capture of sleep.

xxx

 _The gardens were back, the warm feeling of the sun on her arms. Even the grass around her was pleasantly fragrant. From where she was standing she could see him standing over a tall rose bush._

 _But almost instantly he stopped his inspecting and he turned to her._

 _She saw black hair, tousled adorably atop his head, dark as a ravens wing. It was like straining your eyes to see something in bright sunlight. Usagi caught features, ocean blue eyes, a sculpted jaw, lips set in a bright smile, but none all at the same time._

 _He plucked a red rose at the bloom, then walked to where she stood cemented and pressed it into her hand. She brought the stem-less flower up to her nose in her cupped hand and sniffed. It was wonderfully fragrant. Just like everything in his garden. The petals were flawlessly curved and the red was deliciously vibrant._

 _"Beautiful," she whispered in awe._

 _"Yes, you are," she caught his grin, and saw the sincerity in his statement._

 _Swirls of guilt wrapped around her, the red rose now reminding her of the one she conjured for another man. Did he know? Would he find out?_

 _Unconsciously she took a step backwards, and she felt his confusion almost as if it were her own._

 _"What's wrong?" He asked her, concern dripping from the simple question. Wondering what had made her suddenly so wary of him._

 _Usagi looked up to see his soulful blue eyes intently on her, and if it were possible she felt even worse, she curled in on herself and took another step away._

 _"Wait!" Desperation clawed against his chest, what was going on with her?_

 _But as he took the steps to reach her and pull her into his embrace, his arms sank right through her. And for a moment, blue eyes met before hers faded into thin air with the rest of her._

 _Endymion stumbled backwards in shock, the blue sky of the dreamscape quickly shifting grey in response._

 _Even the flowers seemed to wilt as he stood still as death, all but his hands that were still tingling and trembling from the sensation of losing her._

 _A red bloom decorating the dull grass at his feet._

xxx


	3. Act 2: Roses

Disclaimer: I don't own sailor moon, I am not the goddess known as Naoko Takeuchi.

xxx

 _Chain Reaction_ _: a series of events in which each event is the result of the one preceding and the cause of the one following._

xxx

 _Act 2: Roses_

xxx

Mamoru stared intently at the rose petals held upright in the crystal vase. A single red blossom unaffected by the threats of time.

Perfectly it sat, unblemished as the moment it fell into his hand. He couldn't help but marvel at the phenomenon.

A similar white bloom sat tucked away in his bedroom, where they wouldn't mistakenly see it.

It was Ami speaking now, as she knelt down by his coffee table in the living room, furiously typing at the same time.

"We need another approach, the Dark Kingdom seems to be getting more intelligent, crafting youma to withstand our abilities," then she paused her work and waited for their responses.

"Indeed," Luna agreed from her spot of Rei's lap, "It seems they have taken a break from energy stealing and decided to get rid of us first."

Rei from her spot on the couch leant her head back and shut her eyes against the ceiling.

"They almost did a pretty good job at it too," she groaned, her head still pounding from the battle earlier. At least the newest recruit had medical training, not to mention he was also a very attractive male specimen. She wasn't exactly complaining when the senshi meeting was brought to his place rather than the Hikawa shrine.

"Well you have to admit that it is a decent plan," Mamoru added, "Unfortunately not for our sakes."

Luna watched the dark haired man standing near the mantle, inspecting a rose that sat reverently on the shelf.

"What do you say our next move is?" The feline asked, ready to evaluate his response.

"Is it up to me?" He asked warily, already more involved with this then he wished to be.

"I think we owe it to you to respect your opinion since you got us out of the fix earlier," Ami interjected, and Luna gave a slight nod of her black head.

He let out a resigned sigh, "Before I begin to strategize your victory for you guys, I think it would be beneficial to know what this is all about," Mamoru watched as red cat eyes glared his way.

"What do you mean? You don't think keeping the civilians safe is reason enough to fight?" Suddenly Rei's head popped up and she was matching to cats look to a tee, Luna nodded at the priestesses sentiment.

"That's not it," _those two are so frustrating,_ "I want to know what the Dark Kingdom is after in attacking us, _what do they want?"_

"Well obviously they want human energy," Rei deadpanned.

"Yes, but what for?" He managed to grind out.

Ami paused once more and looked up, apparently interested in the conversation again.

"We have gathered that they want the energy to awaken some sort of evil entity, most likely leading to world destruction," she said informatively, "Which is why it is also our duty to locate and protect the silver crystal, lest it fall into their hands." Ami glanced over at Luna as she watched her carefully when speaking of the crystal.

"The silver crystal?" Mamoru questioned.

"Yes, a very powerful artifact. When used incorrectly it has the power to destroy an entire planet, which is why it is of utmost importance that we find it first." Luna explained, hoping it would satisfy his curiosity. He seemed to ponder this for a moment before asking another question.

"And where exactly does Sailor Moon fit into all of this?"

"She _doesn't,"_ Luna growled, "Sailor Moon is not a real senshi, in fact central has confirmed that there never was a senshi of the moon. She is a thief, a disgrace to the name."

"Why does she come to help me in battle then?" His curiosity was piqued by the felines revelation.

"Perhaps she plans on infiltrating the senshi through you after gaining your trust," Ami supplied, not even raising her eyes from the computer-like device in front of her.

"She is not to be trusted, it is highly likely that Sailor Moon is a ploy from the enemy," The black feline's voice rung clearly through the room, as if she hadn't delivered her point thoroughly enough. _Enemy? Somehow that didn't seem right though._

Suddenly Ami was standing up from her position on the floor, stretching tired muscles.

"We should head out now, the sun is going to rise in less than an hour," the water senshi advised, they all looked exhausted.

"Meeting adjourned," Rei drawled, before following her friend's actions and wondering over to the door.

"I will see you tomorrow Mars," Luna reminded curtly, and the priestess appeared to sober up from her exhaustion to offer a prim nod. With that the two were out the door. Mamoru gathered the emptied mugs scattered around his coffee table, evidence of their long night. And caught sight of Luna once again eyeing him with her wary gaze.

"Do you really plan on staying here again tonight?" He had to ask, sounding beyond exasperated.

"Of course, you are the newest member of the team and need proper training and guidance."

For a moment both were silent, just soaking the new information in, wondering what trusting the other would entail.

"When did this all start? The senshi and the attacks I mean." Something was nudging at him in the back of his mind and simply would not leave him alone. As much as he tried to deny it, there was a sort of pull to the senshi team, whether or not he even understood or liked it.

"It all started about two months ago…"

xxx

Usagi was casually walking down the sidewalk, her black mary jane shoes tapping a rhythmic clack on the grey cement. The sun was out with an apparent vengeance after a few days of gloomy rain. She found herself blinking away at the vibrant blue sky, it was too picturesque. _Too perfect._

However, deciding to take advantage of such weather, the blonde had donned a little, pink sundress. It seemed like something the old Usagi would wear. She chose to ultimately pair it with a simple pearl necklace. One of her favorites, they were very expensive and absolutely gorgeous. Even if she was just admiring them from where they hung in her windowsill at night, the shiny white orbs. They almost reminded her of tiny little moons when lit by the dim glow of the night sky.

So absorbed by her thoughts Usagi didn't even notice the surprising impact of crashing into a broad chest. A few moments passed as she sat dazedly on the ground, before an irritating voice cut through to her mind. Crystalline blue eyes came back into focus and narrowed when she caught sight of her victim/attacker.

"Seriously?" Usagi couldn't stop the high pitched groan that passed her lips, _"Mamoru-baka,_ of course it could only be you to bring back the stupid klutz-attacks!" As much as she felt like screeching the last part, she miraculously managed to say it in a somewhat even voice.

Cobalt orbs narrowed in response as Mamoru eyed Motoki's new roommate from where he himself was reclined on the sidewalk.

"And to think I thought something was actually wrong with you, when you were probably off in dreamland for the last few minutes," he drawled back at her before getting to his feet and offering a hand to help the blonde do the same. Mamoru watched as her little nose scrunched up before she ultimately decided to take the outstretched limb. He was surprised by the warmth of the tiny hand even as it was removed from his in less than a moment.

Usagi frowned at her dress, bits of gravel stuck in the keyholes of the pale pink lace like a scab. As she patted and swiped at the dust clinging to her pink skirt, his eyes trailed down to her long legs. Suddenly her dress seemed _too short,_ _she could have scraped herself on the sidewalk!_

He shook his head at the thought, for a girl who could trip over air for all he'd seen, the pale skin of her legs was surprisingly flawless and not covered in scrapes. The odd blonde picked a last clinging piece of gravel from her attire and flicked it nonchalantly at the ground.

"Care to take a picture? It would last longer," the dark haired man found her smirking at him now. _Great, well at least the Odango still has her sense of humor,_ he thought snidely.

"No thanks," he obviously looked her up and down in an exaggerated gesture, "I think I'll pass on the offer," Almost immediately her cheeks dusted pink in response, the corner of her eye nearly twitching in fury. Mamoru couldn't hold the escaping chuckle in any longer.

Now this is what he was used to from her, their petty fights tended to be a great form of amusement for him. He assumed the same of her too.

"You're insufferable," she huffed, clearing attempting to regain some sort of composure, _Not so fast Odango._

"And you're dusty," he responded almost conversationally, her face surprisingly went blank for a second before blond brows pinched together.

"Yeah thanks for reminding me, this was a new dress by the way," her resigned voice only slightly tinged in annoyance commented.

The faintest scowl marred his face, _that wasn't how this was supposed to go._ Usagi would usually be hurling insults and sticking out that little, pink tongue of hers. Mamoru inwardly groaned, _his thoughts should not be straying right now. So what if her body had matured a bit more over the summer, her figure filling out more as she transitioned into womanhood._

If he could smack himself upside the head and not look suspicious he would gladly do it at the moment. _It didn't matter how old Usagi was,_ he had a feeling she would always be a child, _even if her current temperament was subtly proving him wrong._

"Uhh sorry about that," suddenly things felt awkward, this was new territory. _Where was the delightfully annoying Usagi when you needed her?_

"I was just heading to the arcade, how about something to eat? it's on me," he offered, and she seemed to consider it for moment.

"Why not?" She still eyed him warily, "Although I should point out that it will come no where near compensating for the price of the dress," she added, "But I guess you make can it up some other time." _Ha! Leverage over Mamoru-baka, now that was priceless._

"How about I just wash it for you," he rolled his eyes at her as they walked down the sidewalk, taking their banter on the road and to the arcade.

 _Somehow the idea of him doing her laundry seemed excruciatingly personal, intimate even._

"Get it dry-cleaned instead," the words seemed to tumble unchecked from her mouth.

Was her dress really _that_ expensive, _like he couldn't wash clothes or something?_ He took care or sorting and folding and ironing his own laundry. _Or maybe,_ it was worth a pretty penny, and she got it from the same mysterious place all her jewelry had come from. Like the fine pearl necklace peaking right above her neckline. Again thoughts of suspicion were creeping up, _well this would be the perfect time for some Odango-interrogating._

 _"Deal."_

 _xxx_

An impatient yowl alerted the priestess to her guest's arrival. With an irritated groan the raven haired girl stood up from her spot on the tatami floor.

 _Stupid paws,_ the only other option would be to claw her way through the traditional paper door, _Rei would probably flambé me._

"You're here," she addressed the cat seriously.

"Yes, let's get to work," black fur slipped through her legs leading the way to the room.

Kneeling in her robes they held a silent stare off, the warmth of the fire beating down oppressively on Luna. It was always like this with their meetings, the light of the sacred flame casting eerie shadows across the senshi's face. It made her look older, harsher.

"So have you gotten anything new?" The guardian asked, the question lingering in the smoky air for a few moments.

"I have felt her presence increasingly so, it's very strange," finally she answered.

"Do you think he knows?" Luna asked with urgency, "About _her?"_

"I don't suspect so, we have to take into consideration what his relation was to her," the cat had no answer to her silent question. She was supposed to know the most about the past, she was the one who hadn't been through the cycle that was reincarnation.

"I know that he was there, I can feel it, but I have no clue who he could of been," her sentence faded into a contemplative tone.

"So are we just not going to say anything about it then? Until we are sure?" Rei's voice was missing the usual biting edge.

"Yes, I will inform Ami as well." Silence blanketed the room, Luna's plans were sometimes so _contradicting._

 _What exactly constituted the line between ally and enemy anymore?_

"It is for her safety Mars, while he may have an important role in the team, he is still not to be completely trusted until we are sure," _the way Luna could read her sometimes was creepy,_ the priestess cringed.

 _"Anything for the princess,"_ it was a mere whisper underneath her breath. A pledge, a motto. To be uttered like a prayer.

Luna gave a prim nod of her black head before turning to leave.

"One more thing," both paused, "I sense another _friend_ will be joining us soon," Rei added, and red eyes turned to meet with violet.

"Good, we will need all the help we can get." With that she nudged open the door with her head and walked out, leaving the priestess to her own devices.

White and red fabric hissed as she shifted towards the roaring fire. Exhaling and closing her eyes she opened up her mind to any forthcoming visions.

A charged aura of green blossomed before her mind's eye, sparks flew and crackled around her with a deep seated restlessness.

 _"Welcome to the circus, friend."_

 _xxx_

 _A straw swirled mindlessly through the brown liquid, the silence was deafening him. What had the world come to?_

"No milkshake today?" Mamoru asked simply, the shock not expressing itself in his tone. It came across to her as mild curiosity. _Should she of ordered the milkshake? Eh what was the use, there wasn't really any reason to pretend in front of Mamoru-baka._

"It's a cola kind of day, had a long night," her lips closed around the straw as she took a drag of the caffeinated drink. _Look away idiot, was she purposely trying to get his attention or something?_

"Me too," the mug raised to his mouth and he sipped at his cooling coffee. Making casual small talk with his sparring partner was strange. _Who replaced Usagi with this look-alike?_

"Look, its Sailor V," she pointed out, voice still low but with a hint of mirth.

 _Sailor V? That senshi in England right? Luna tells me nothing at all. Is she even an ally, or another "senshi impersonator?"_

His eyes followed the trail her finger made down to his mug. Sure enough, when he turned it to the side there was a caricature of the blond senshi on it. Hand held out in her signature pose with a flirty wink. Weird promotional technique, he certainly wasn't feeling like walking over and playing the arcade game after simply drinking from the mug.

But he couldn't help but notice how much more similar she was to Sailor Moon than the other senshi. _A mask and a different style fuku, could it be they know each other?_ It seemed everyone who claimed the sailor senshi name was destined to become an enigma.

Mamoru looked up to see Usagi giving him a strange look, _oops, totally zoned out._

"Have an interest in sailor senshi, _huh Mamoru-baka?"_ A devilish grin crept onto her face.

 _She will never let me live this down._

"Isn't everyone curious about them?" He waved off with nonchalance.

"Sailor V sure is an interesting character though, isn't she?" She observed wistfully and he nodded in agreement.

The silence however was short lived as a blonde manager walked up to the booth.

"What can I get you?" Her guardian asked his friend with his cheerful voice still intact, _was he still mad at her?_

"Toki, I'm sorry," green eyes turned to her, "about last night I mean."

For a moment his calm demeanor was ruffled before he collected himself, or so he thought.

"You can't just leave like that, in the middle of the night," He felt like tearing his hair out in frustration. _How was he supposed to take care of the girl when she participated in such risky endeavors most nights?_ The blonde flinched at his tone.

"We will talk later Usagi-chan," he told her in a softened voice before turning back to his dumbstruck friend. Mamoru had rarely ever seen Motoki lose his composure like that. And never at Usagi.

When he had walked away to fill the order Mamoru couldn't help himself.

"What was that about?" She just shrugged her shoulders in response, paying very close attention to the bubbles fizzing in her soda.

A few minutes later two plates were sat on the table in front of them. A blonde eyebrow quirked up.

"But I didn't order anything?" Blue eyes met across the table, he picked up a half of his sandwich and then gestured at her steaming burger.

"Eat," he simply said before taking a bite of his own food. Usagi fiddled with a french fry, making swirling patterns with the ketchup on her plate before finally popping it in her mouth. Expecting the bland taste that had seemed to invade her mouth for the past couple of months, she was pleasantly surprised when it tasted… _good._ It was such a simple gesture, ordering the burger for her, yet Usagi didn't stop the small genuine smile from forming on her lips.

Completely oblivious to the eyes carefully inspecting her from the other seat.

xxx

 _"Seriously,_ it hasn't been even two days since the last attack!" Sailor Mars growled, skillfully dodging a flailing limb.

"These energy levels from the youma are off the charts!" Mercury exclaimed from the side lines, needing to gather information but also close enough to interfere in the fight.

"Why would they waste so much energy on producing these youma?" The question came from the black form on Tuxedo Kamen's shoulder. She sounded shocked.

"Unless they really are in a rush to get rid of us," his humorless voice rung in Luna's ears. It was late, _why did they only insist on attacking in the middle of the night recently?_

In an instant the air chilled ominously, leaving Mamoru looking around in question. _Now that's not normal._

The youma ceased its actions then, turning to face the figure whose feet just happened to touch down on the ground. Short, cropped blond hair and a grim smile stared back at them.

 _"Not him too_ , what are you doing here?" Mars shouted incredulously only to receive a dark chuckle in response.

"Nice to see you too, Sailor Mars," he scanned the slight team until his eyes fell upon Tuxedo Kamen.

"It seems your newest member isn't donning the senshi fuku, I thought I might see it for myself," Jadeite taunted, finding the whole situation quite funny.

Mamoru rolled his eyes behind the white domino mask. Perhaps he did make for a strange addition to the team, but that didn't stop them from basically forcing him to partake in fighting evil with them.

 _Not that he had any supernatural powers to accompany him like the other two did. Even the talking cat was more impressive than him in his honest opinion._

"What do you want Jadeite?" Mercury asked him quizzically. Certainly he wouldn't show himself at the battle just to comment on the male member of their team.

"I have come to formally say farewell, on behalf of the Dark Kingdom," his mocking tone stirred something sinister in the air.

"What are you talking about?" the fiery senshi held her hands before her in a defensive instinct, palms itching to feel the warmth of her element.

"Fighting against you has been very entertaining, but I think tonight is the night we finish this," the dark tone of his voice sent a chill down the black haired senshi's spine. Tuxedo Kamen had an uneasy feeling as Luna leapt from his shoulder to run off into the night.

xxx

Long, nimble fingers played over the pattern. She contemplated the diamond bracelet hanging from her wrist. Distractions were good, maybe if she counted every carefully cut stone on the accessory it would prevent her from shutting her eyes.

It was one of those days, every time she closed off the immediate world another scene played before her. The way the rain droplets glared on the window. The menacing gleam of a puddle on the pavement. Even the screeching of tires down the street. Everything was out to get her today, to drag her back into the world of the memory.

 _But it's okay,_ she may be lonely but that's what the jewels were for. To fill the emptiness, on days, moments like these. Blank cerulean eyes stared back at her in the mirror. But then they clenched tightly, a ring dropping from her grasp to spin around lazily on the desk.

There it was again, that odd stirring in her chest. Usagi took a few deep breaths attempting to calm herself, only to have her hand shoot out and grab her broach with an iron-like grip.

xxx

The youma was back in action again, knocking Mars into a solid tree trunk without warning. _The disadvantage of being the offensive fighter,_ she thought with a groan.

Mercury immediately cast a fog, obscuring the surroundings enough to help her comrade up.

"What do we do?" Mercury called out to Tuxedo Kamen desperately. Luna was surprisingly absent, and they were already tired from the previous, unfinished battle.

The haze surrounding them was reduced to tiny ice crystals, forming before falling to the ground and shattering. Before he even had the chance to think up a response, he was swung around by brute strength. The blonde man before him was not quite his height, yet was admittedly intimidating. Even the air around him sizzled with corruption, _promises of retaliation._

"I think they should have stuck with attractive, young women, at least it's easier on the eyes to watch them prance around in short skirts," Jadeite sneered, mere feet away and preparing the death blow. Mars and Mercury were both engrossed with their failing attempt at defeating the youma. And he was defenseless, _well not completely._

Mamoru swung in for a punch, catching both Jadeite and his jaw off guard.

 _"What the hell?"_ his gravelly voice passed through a busted lip, a drop of crimson sliding unnoticed down his pale chin. As he was about to retaliate something came crashing into him from the side.

Tuxedo Kamen felt a rush of panic at the sight of his opponent being unapologetically tackled to the ground. A flash of silver shot through the air and slid across the ground as they kicked up dirt along the way. Thirty feet away and finally coming to a halt were the two, Sailor Moon pinned the mans shoulders to the ground even after making a scar in the earth with their forceful descent. It was like she just dropped from the sky, _how did she do that?_

To Mamoru it was painfully silent as he ran the short distance to the girl, ears not registering the battle raging not too far from them.

It only made the words that came from her mouth that much more striking to him.

 _"Don't touch him,"_ her uncharacteristically low voice enunciated, Jadeite blinked owlishly, trying to see past the stars dancing in his eyes. Surely he must be out cold, or dreaming, because how else would he be seeing _her._

Her cold voice snapped him back, this was real, and he could hardly believe his eyes.

 _"You,"_ the blonde man seethed, making everyone pause. _They knew each other?_

Behind a white mask her blue eyes widened, as if realizing what she had just done for the first time. Tuxedo Kamen curiously watched as she faded from the dangerous warrior and into a frightened young woman. Sailor Moon scrambled to get away before the object of her protection grabbed her and lifted her up as easily as if she were a doll. After getting a more comfortable distance away from the infuriated general he set her down on her silver clad feet. Large hands still attached to her waist belonging to the man standing directly behind her. The closeness was unsettling. Usagi gulped at the lump in her throat.

"Are you alright?" His tender whisper caressed her ears and she felt herself shudder. With her back pressed against his hard chest it was a little difficult to think. Then she realized that he had asked her a question.

"Yes, I'm fine," the silvery girl in his arms offered, her voice only slightly shaky. Heavy footfalls rumbled the ground not too far from their little sanctuary.

 _"I see you didn't do enough the first time around, so you came back for more,"_ an enraged Jadeite growled at the slight girl. _What is he talking about?_

He clearly intended to attack, she watched as an unholy smirk crossed his face, triggering the need to defend.

 _"Moon Twilight Flash!"_

What started as a deadly whisper raised nearly to a yell. A hand graced her forehead, fingers falling into place around a clear gem on her tiara. The other shooting out to point at her intended target. White light shot from the sparkling point on her brow like a beam of pure energy.

 _It burned,_ the general withheld a scream as the light enveloped him. Sparing a second longer to narrow his eyes at her, he relished in the immediate relief of teleportation, and let his body fade out of Tokyo and into the next setting.

Usagi underneath the glamour let out a trembling breath. After expelling all of that energy keeping her disguise together was staring to feel like a burden. _She had to leave quickly,_ a stab of guilt hit her when she realized they were still faced with a youma.

Then evaporated into thin air when she heard the rustling that announced someone else's arrival. There stood another sailor senshi, the girl towered over her small frame. Russet tendrils of hair that escaped from its hold in the back framed her face, which held a confused but determined look to it. Her head cocked to the side taking in the scene before her, a bundle of black fur perched on her shoulder. From which a pair of narrowing red eyes found Sailor Moon with a suspicious look. She immediately backed away from the masked man.

"Just in time," the jewel thief muttered sarcastically, addressing the judgmental feline that left the green senshi to land on Tuxedo Kamen's broad shoulders.

"Remember what I told you Jupiter," Luna commanded and the girl nodded before joining the fight. The three were alone now, and Usagi could feel herself consciously keeping the fuku from coming apart at the seams.

"Who are you _Sailor Moon?" It was amazing how a cat could say a title with such disdain,_ she felt like getting her hands on a spray bottle full of water at the words.

"That's something you will never find out," Tuxedo Kamen felt a stab of pain at her amused response as she flicked a rose into existence within her gloved hand. His cobalt eyes widened at her next action, the rose came flying stem-first towards him and he closed his eyes in reflex. Luna toppled off with a terrified hiss. Mamoru was mentally checking every part of his body for a stab, only to find he hadn't been hit at all. His next thought was Luna, _while she was spitting mad,_ had not been injured either.

As an afterthought his mind registered the wind picking up and blowing his hair slightly, only to be struck with the thought that his hat was missing.

Sure enough, when he turned around he caught sight of the top hat, pinned to a tree by a guilty white rose.

And Mamoru had to grin at her antics, but he turned to find her gone. Ran off into the night once again.

If one thing was for certain, it was that Sailor Moon was the most intriguing disappearing act he had ever witnessed.

xxx

 _White fabric fluttered around her upon her arrival._

 _It was different. She found herself in a dimmed ballroom instead of the usual escape of the garden._

 _Usagi could faintly hear the chatter and noise of other people, like ghosts in the mist. There was never anyone else in their dreams. A phantom of shrill laughter reverberated through the hallow room._

 _Then he was there behind her, turning her quickly into his embrace, taking her hand for a dance._

 _Looking handsome and unattainable in a formal suit, decked with none too subtle markings of his position. She felt a prick to her heart, even with the crystal she could never hope to reach him._

 _Shadows hid secrets as he turned her around gracefully, shoes clicking against the marble floors while they fell into the proper places. Golden hair danced through the air then, as she tilted her head up to look at him. But as if the darkness wouldn't conceal him enough, a black mask hung over his eyes, hiding them from her view._

 _"It's a masquerade my dearest," he chided in a sing song voice. His hand came up to trace the line of her own mask, white and familiar._

 _Even his smile looked slanted, like everything in the room had fractured and been put back together._

 _It was one of those dreams._

 _She let him lead her across the floor for a small eternity, leaning her head on his impossibly hard chest, A large hand came up and caressed the skin where her back met her neck._

 _"I have a feeling that time is running out," came the alluring smoky voice._

 _"No matter where I look I can't seem to find it," her disappointment dripped from the admission, head lowered in shame._

 _He gave a soft sigh, moving from her neck to trail down her spine with his fingers._

 _"If it isn't found soon I think I might be trapped here forever," he gave a resigned reply, his hold on her loosening._

 _She couldn't let him give up on her! Then she would be truly alone again._

 _"I will get it, I have to be getting closer by now," she insisted, blue eyes desperately seeking out his own._

 _Her prince looked back down at her again and rewarded her by taking her face in his hand, tilting it up to his. Warm breath tickled and assaulted her senses as he uttered one word to her._

 _Perfect_

 _In her daze, her mind was trying to work out if he was referring to her or rather her promise._

 _Suddenly the world seemed to tilt as he bent her in a dip, she opened her eyes when he still had yet to bring her back up to continue their dance._

 _"Stay strong princess, and you will find the Legendary Silver Crystal."_

 _Then he let go, and Usagi felt herself falling, falling much further than he had dropped her from._

 _xxx_

Choking on a gasp the blonde sat straight up in her bed. _She must be really slacking on her duties to have one of those dreams again._ Small, pale hands clenched and unclenched at her sides, reassuring that this was real. _She was in bed, how did she get back here? Must have been really out of it stumbling home this time. Well at least it's not an alleyway._

 _That battle was something else._

When her breathing had calmed down reasonably Usagi allowed herself to ponder the distressing dream more closely. _He must be mad,_ it seemed the dreamscape had a way of bending to his whim. However she had never seen that particular place before, even if it felt hauntingly familiar.

 _He seemed so resigned tonight,_ it was like a stab to the heart. If he gave up on her and left, she would have no one, Usagi would just have to work harder to find the crystal. Then maybe they could actually be together.

Discarding the idea of returning to sleep she paced to her desk and sat in her chair. Pulling out a box from the drawer she set it down with a thud. Newspaper clippings and red ink littered maps spilled out. Considering the situation now, she fished out a particular flyer that she had formerly dismissed for being too risky.

The glossy brochure displayed an image of the large building, it was part of the Tokyo National Museum, which consisted of three large and strikingly different structures.

And one of them was currently holding nothing other than a _jewel exhibition. It was BVLGARI, certainly they had to have some interesting stones. Perhaps even the most interesting of them all._

Usagi would have to do some actual planning, _this would not be just any other jewelry store run._

 _xxx_

"Usagi-chan," Motoki called again to the comatose looking blonde. _Did she leave again last night too?_

No answer, as she stood in her doorway clothed in her high school uniform. The dark bags under her eyes aided in putting together the events of last night.

"You're up early," he observed, receiving a nod of her blonde head. Motoki felt bad for nearly snapping at her the other day, with her there looking so worn out.

"Look, you want to talk about it?" A nervous hand swept through cropped blonde hair, "I already know about _you,_ what would it hurt?" Usagi seemed to contemplate the offer before nodding again and moving to sit on the large couch. They both sat in silence for a few moments, she could feel his burning questions as nimble fingers twisted a stray thread on the cushion.

"Why do you do this Usagi-chan?" He started, begging to understand what would make a cheerful, young school girl become a wanted thief. Even providing the accident-he cringed at the memory-Motoki was sure that this wasn't a normal response to grief. Magical powers and alter egos.

"I'm looking for something very important for someone very important," she answered thoughtfully, if not cryptically.

"Is it for money or something? There has to be a way we can figure this out without doing _this."_

Usagi's lips twisted in displeasure at the idea, "No, he doesn't want money," she said confidently.

 _"He?_ This is for a guy?" Motoki felt faint, he thought this was purely a coping strategy, not that she was wrapped up in some totally different plot. His head was spinning at the disturbing possibilities as he asked his next question.

"There are pictures of you at the senshi battles, _what are you doing there?"_

Blue eyes narrowed in thought, "I'm not really sure, I just get this feeling that I have to go."

"I don't even _like_ the sailor senshi, when I'm helping them they give me the cold shoulder." Her tone sounded aggravated as she spoke of the warriors of Tokyo.

 _Usagi purposely left out the part involving Tuxedo Kamen, not like she really need her guardian to pass out when she told him she was pulled to battle by a totally different guy. When did things get so complicated?_

He sat there idly nodding his head even after she finished speaking, trying to absorb all that she just said. _Poor Usagi, it seemed like life really had it out for her recently._

"Are you sure you don't want a ride to school?" Like usual she shook her head. After gathering her things she headed out the door to walk to her destination.

 _She won't even get in a car still,_ _how much more could happen to a young girl before she snaps?_

 _xxx_

The wind played with silver tresses, tossing them around in the pale moonlight as she stood on the roof. She was making a conscious effort to keep her feet from shaking in her boots. That would not do, if she misstepped it could mean falling off the intricate structure.

 _Why did it have to be the building with the strange domed roof?_ Sailor Moon inwardly groaned at her misfortune.

Entering from the very top of the building from the outside would be the best way, the least suspected path for expected criminals. No normal person could have hope of scaling this, _but it was certainly possible for a magical girl now wasn't it?_

With controlled breaths she began the descent into the building itself, displacing the glass that closed off the biting chill outside.

 _The first move was to take care of the cameras,_ she had never done such a large scale mission, _this was like movie material here._

She dropped down the tall distance to land gracefully into a crouching position. One boot connected with the ground next to her bare knee. Fingertips whispering just above the ground at her sides.

 _So far so good,_ no alarms had been tripped and her sensitive ears didn't pick up anyone else's presence. Now to make her way to actual exhibits themselves. Hesitant footsteps clicked in the empty looking halls, _she had counted on there being at least some night guards for her outsmart._

 _It was dark, Usagi didn't like the dark._ She felt a tinge of fear that stubbornly wouldn't let up as she approached the main room.

When she opened the door to find it void of people, her eyes flew immediately to the intricately designed glass encasings. Usagi's newfound interest in gems was renewed with twice the punch as she gazed upon these treasures. She knew BVLGARI made expensive jewelry, but the stuff exhibited here was beyond that. This truly doubled as _art_ , something to be proudly displayed in a museum.

Gloved fingers swept across the glass panes in awe, completely engrossed in what she was seeing. A brilliantly red stone stared back at her, the white gold chain winking with diamonds seemed to read her mind. _The Pigeons Blood Ruby,_ the silver plaque informed her. As she slid the casing open she hardly payed mind to the consequences that could follow such a move. _Was it morally wrong to steal such a breathtaking piece?_ At the moment her judgment faltered, _but wasn't stealing anything wrong in the first place?_

Usagi under her mask was craving the cold touch of the exquisite gem, tentatively she reached a covered hand inside and grabbed the piece.

The resulting alarm was deafening. Necklace still in hand, her hands shot up to cover her ears in defense. Eyes squeezed shut, she didn't even see her assailant as she felt hands pull her up and off the floor. He didn't even pause at the sound of her surprised yelp, instead focusing on running at break neck speed out of the impressive building.

An armed security guard stumbled through a door close to the pair. _How would they get passed him and to their escape?_

Sailor Moon flicked a rose and sent it sailing in his direction.

"Go!" She urged her silent savior, as the guard struggled to get free from where he was pinned to the wall by his jackets arm.

He sprinted them out of the building as the girl in his arms twisted slightly to the side. A hand fanned out nearly a dozen roses before she sent them flying at the structure from the stairs.

A grin spread on his face when he heard the shattering of what he knew had to be camera lenses. _Clever girl._

With the knowledge that they couldn't be followed he kept his pace, leading them away from the scene.

Sailor Moon was puzzled as the man kept running even when they were clearly safe by now. Then her brows narrowed as she began to suspect his intentions. The wind whooshed by as he leapt with the agility of a big cat, _so he had some supernatural abilities._ A few minutes later and they were on a rather tall rooftop. He let her back down onto her feet gently and watched as she took a careful step back.

"You called?" he drawled, tone swathed in velvet. It nearly made her head spin. He sounded full of mirth and completely sinful to her. Most likely because it was like being tempted with the forbidden fruit, _they both had different agendas to fulfill._ _Not to mention she had her prince._

"Tuxedo Kamen," she greeted warily. His head tilted as he caught sight of the item in her hand.

"I guess I could never really believe you were a jewel thief before I saw it with my own eyes."

She was puzzled at his remark, his tone was unreadable to her, _was he disappointed or something? He knows nothing about me!_

"Sailor Moon is a jewel thief, it's the reason I exist in this form," she insisted, and he frowned.

 _"Why?"_ His question caught her off guard, _why does it matter to you?_

"It's for a good cause," was her vague answer.

"Why do you come to save me in battles? You've saved my life twice now, there has to be a reason," he had stepped forward and taken her gloved hand in his. The air around them seemed to crackle and spark with pent up electricity.

She turned her head, instead focusing on the blinking lights of the city beneath them.

"I just have this feeling," she explained to the night sky, the second time she had used almost that exact sentiment. With this man so close she was infinitely glad for her disguise, it was like a shield from her actions.

Then she looked to him with a bizarre feeling of déjà vu. His face with the white mask, perhaps she had seen him in civilian form, she shook off the tingling sensations running down her spine.

"Me too," he whispered, "I could feel your panic earlier, so I came as soon as I could."

 _Her panic_ , _Usagi inwardly cursed her stupid fear of the dark._

"That's strange," she rambled her thoughts out loud, "I get this urgent feeling when you are in trouble."

Tuxedo Kamen let his gaze travel over the mysterious angel before him. In her other hand she held her stolen necklace and fiddled with her short skirt. Her face holding a contemplative look, this was what he needed.

"Don't you think this means something?" The dark man implored her, "That we are connected like this?" His larger hand squeezed hers reassuringly.

Thoughts swam around her head, he was asking something dangerous. _Something she could not take part in,_ him _. Usagi was devoted, meant for someone already, no matter what the call to a handsome stranger implied._

"No," she answered abruptly, pulling back away from him.

"Why not?" His hand ghosted where theirs had just been, "I just want the chance to get to know you better, to figure this out," sinful lips twisted in determination.

A familiar insecurity bloomed in her chest, twisting and constricting like vines. _Do you like me or do you like what I can do for you? Probably wants to secure his mysterious savior._ Thoughts lingered still to the dream in the ballroom, hardening her resolve.

"You're with the senshi, we shouldn't be associating with each other, you've seen how they treat me," she explained, her eyes trailed to the cement floor of the roof, unable to watch as she made her excuse. But even as she said it her heart tightened warningly.

Tuxedo Kamen scoffed, calling her attention back to him in surprise.

 _"Barely_ with the senshi that is, do I look like one of them to you? I'm pretty sure a mistake has been made since I'm rather useless in a battle," he muttered just loudly enough for her to hear.

"You're not useless," Sailor Moon nearly scolded. Making a black eyebrow raise from behind his mask.

"So is that why I require a guardian angel _all my own_ to save my skin?" He joked with her, a handsome grin spread on his face. The moonlight did little to hide the delicate flushing of her cheeks.

It was so sudden, the pull that tugged at her like strings on a marionette doll. Lifting her up onto the tips of her toes, hands brought to sit on his broad shoulders. Her head titling and straining to meet his height. She had meant it to be just a chaste peck on the lips, nothing more. But when he reacted and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer, she was slow to remove herself.

Lips caressed her own fervently, involuntarily a groan escaped the back of her throat. The air around them burned as he traced the seam of her lips temptingly. And then she broke it, letting their foreheads touch slightly despite the troublesome masks. Even as they were both breathing laboriously she tried to rationalize it in her head. _It must have been the adrenaline pumping through her system from earlier, only that would lead her to do something so crazy._

"That's all, nothing more," she whispered insistently, before backing away.

Mamoru looked at the confusing bundle before him, she seemed to rocket from emotion to emotion at a dizzying speed. Still, he was intrigued, and wanted more.

When she moved to leave he jumped into action.

 _"Why are you called Sailor Moon?_ The senshi don't trust you because you're not supposed to exist, there isn't supposed to be a senshi of the moon," she turned once again to face him, standing near the edge and shrugged her shoulders.

"We came about around the same time, it's what the media dubbed me and it just stuck," he nodded.

So busy absorbing the information and peculiar events of the night he didn't even notice her conjure the rose until it landed on the cement by his feet.

"Farewell, Tuxedo Kamen," her light voice was music to his ears as she departed.

 _She could fight it all she wanted, but he knew there was something deeper to the two of them._

 _xxx_

 _Endymion plucked another stem-less rose from the pile on the grass._

 _The sun above was tentatively peeking from behind a cloud._

 _Careful not to crush it, the large hand wound it into the honeyed hair splayed along the grass. A red blossom, then a pink one. The resulting pattern of flowers resembled a crown._ _The prince smiled as the thought carried images of another time, where there was an unreachable girl with silver hair. Tinkling laugher as she put the gift atop his head. A daisy chain crown._

 _He thought it was ridiculous._

 _He would kill for a daisy chain crown right now._

 _As golden strands slid through his fingertips he felt oddly satisfied. His reincarnated princess was grounded to Earth now, it was like the physical manifestation of it._

 _But as his eyes traveled to her unmoving face he had to tear his gaze away. Even as he felt the sharp strain on his soul, he had tried harder to bring her back. Why had she disappeared?_

 _Endymion laid down next to her still figure, relishing in the feel of such a simple thing. He couldn't help himself though, a thousand years was a long time to be apart._

 _He heard her stir and shot straight up, was she going to wake? Then, nothing. No, he sighed, she was still locked away in the strange sleep-like state._ _Mindlessly he gathered more flowers, before working to arrange them around her, like some sort of fairytale princess._

 _Not being able to reach her for this long was unsettling, a flower crushed in his fist without his knowledge as thoughts wondered._

 _"Where have you gone?" He asked aloud at the dozing figure, as if she could give him the answer._

 _His musings were disrupted as she rasped in a deep breath, the prelude to a scream._

 _Then once again she faded into nonexistence._

 _Endymion felt like he was losing his mind, she was driving him crazy, and he needed it._

 _Just like how long ago she had the opportunity to bind them together forever with her crystal, and he had insisted upon it._

 _Gladly._

 _xxx_

AN:To all the wonderful people who reviewed and even those who just read this story, thank you! You're amazing! This is my first story that I've ever posted and all the nice words were so encouraging. Just thought I'd add too that the BVLGARI exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum is a thing that's actually going on right now, I saw it walking through Ueno the other day lol. Hope you all have enjoyed the story so far, _Act 3: Enemies_ to be posted soon.

 _thethursdaygirl_


End file.
